The present invention relates generally to superconducting ceramics and processes for forming thin films of superconducting ceramics. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a electrodeposition process where an alternating current is utilized in conjunction with a direct electrical current to deposit superconducting ceramics onto a wide variety of substrates.
2. Description of Related Art
There has been a great deal of effort expended in designing and developing suitable processes for making superconducting ceramics. The most desirable of these processes are those which are simple, efficient and are capable of producing a ceramic superconductor with a relatively high superconducting transition temperature (T.sub.c). Processes which employ deposition as part of the superconductor fabrication procedure have been proposed due to the simplicity, reproducability and coating quality which can be obtained using electrodeposition techniques.
The deposition processes used to form superconducting ceramics typically involve electroplating a mixture of the desired metals onto a suitable surface to form a film of superconducting precursor metals which is then annealed at high temperature to form the superconducting oxide. (Exemplary electrodeposition procedures are set forth in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,870,051; 4,879,270; 4,939,308; 5, 120,707; and 5,162,295.)
Although many of the deposition procedures which have been developed are well suited for their intended purpose, there still is a continuing need to develop further deposition procedures that are simple, efficient and are capable of producing superconducting ceramics which have relatively high superconducting transition temperatures.